Fullerene Discovery
Buckminsterfullerene (C60) discovered by Kroto, Curl and Smalley. A spherical molecule of 60 carbon atoms opens a new chapter in materials science.
C60 — Truncated Icosahedron
Carbon Nanotubes
Sumio Iijima observes multi-walled carbon nanotubes under electron microscopy. Cylindrical carbon structures with extraordinary tensile strength.
Tensile: ~63 GPa — 100x steel
Graphene Isolation
Geim and Novoselov isolate single-layer graphene using adhesive tape. A single atom thick sheet of carbon with remarkable electrical conductivity.
Conductivity: ~108 S/m
Carbon Capture & Storage
First commercial-scale CCS facility begins operation at Boundary Dam. Industrial CO2 captured and stored underground in geological formations.
1 MtCO2/yr capture capacity
Direct Air Capture
Climeworks launches first commercial DAC plant in Switzerland. Chemical sorbents extract CO2 directly from ambient air for storage or reuse.
900 tCO2/yr — Hinwil, CH
Carbon-Negative Concrete
CarbonCure and similar technologies begin injecting CO2 into concrete during mixing, mineralizing it permanently while strengthening the material.
CO2 + Ca(OH)2 → CaCO3 + H2O
Carbon Diamond Batteries
Nuclear diamond battery prototypes using carbon-14 demonstrate 28,000-year half-life power generation for low-drain sensors and medical implants.
C-14 β-decay → N-14 + e-
Atmospheric Carbon Mining
Next-generation DAC facilities begin producing carbon materials from captured CO2, turning atmospheric pollution into graphene and carbon fiber.
CO2 → C(graphene) + O2